FIA discovers Rs 10bn from 30 more benami accounts in KPK

PESHAWAR: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has discovered more 30 benami accounts in different banks in Peshawar and other areas of Khyber Pakhtoonkha (KPK), recovering an amount of above Rs 10 billion. The accounts were opened under the name of local workers, FIA said during its ongoing investigation into a mega money laundering scam.

According to FIA here on Sunday, these accounts were being used for the black money in Pakistan on the name of eight workers hired by an influential businessman. However, the FIA did not disclose the name of businessman.

The FIA official told media that these workers were earning in between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000, yet transactions amounting to Rs 10 billion had been conducted through their bank accounts, the FIA said.

The agency’s officials said some of the accounts were in Buner, Swat, Kalam and Basham.

“National Identity Cards (NIC) of those involved have been sent to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for further information and to find out if there are more bank accounts present under their name,” the FIA officials added.

The FIA said more than 32 people are under investigation in this regard, including former president Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur.

Zardari’s close aide Hussain Lawai was arrested in July in connection with the probe. The former president’s another close aide and Omni Group chairman, Anwar Majeed, and his son, Abdul Ghani Majeed, were also arrested by the FIA in August. Lawai, Majeed and his son remain under custody.

Earlier this month, FIA sources informed that the mastermind of the money laundering and fake accounts case, Aslam Masood, had been arrested by the Interpol from Jeddah.